Can anyone tell me the requirements for a foreigner to run a business in Madrid? As an American without residency or permiso de trabajo I was wondering if it would be feasible to open my own business in Spain and what I would need to do to do that legally. Anyone have any advice, info on the topic?

You should start by contacting:

- The USA Embassy in Madrid
- Madrid Chamber of Commerce
- The Embassy of Spain in the USA and the Miami Consulate

Hope you find it useful!

Fernando

Make sure you have a good understanding (if you don't already) of Spain's Labour laws, as they are very different then Florida's

For example, Florida (and most of the US)is employment-at-will , whilst Spain (and the rest of the Western World) uses the Just Cause Terminiation or Severance/termination pay laws...

I found this information at spainlawyer.com:

Work permits for non EU nationals
General information
The non European community foreigner who wish to work in Spain must obtain a work permit, they shall obtain also a visa before moving to work in Spain, they shall apply for the visa to the Spanish Consulate in their home country.

Work permits shall be applied to the Foreigners' Office (Oficinas de Extranjeros) or to the provincial office of the Ministry of Labor (Delegación Provincial del Ministerio de Trabajo), if the foreign applicant is in Spanish territory. If the foreign applicant is not in Spain work permit shall be applied to the Consular office of the foreign applicant's home country.

The Provincial labor offices (Direcciones Provinciales de Trabajo, Seguridad Social y Asuntos Sociales) will decide whether the work permit will be issued or not.

The documents you will be required to present upon application for work permit are the following, if you work as self-employed:

Copy of your valid passport.
Certificate of criminal records issued by the authorities of the foreigner's home country, except when it was presented upon application for the visa.
Official medical certificate.
Three passport-size photographs.
Full description of the job and the company activity.
Proof of the foreigner's professional qualification or that he meet the requirements needed to perform the professional activity in Spain, such as the appropriate licences to perform the activity or the registration to the Spanish Social Security system, your NIE…
Any other documentation the Spanish Administration requires from time to time.

Types of work permits where the foreigner is self-employed:

Type d initial work permit: To carry on a specific activity for a maximum of 1 year. Spanish authorities could limit this to a specific geographic area.

Type D renewed work permit: This is issued to those d initial holders once it has expired. It entitles him to perform various professional activities for a maximum period of 2 years. Spanish labor authorities could limit this to a specific geographic area and/or a specific activity.

Type E work permit: This is issued to those holding the D renewed work permit once it has expired. This entitles the foreign worker to perform any professional activity throughout the Spanish Territory for a maximum period of 3 years.

Where the foreigner is an employee or a self-employed

Type F work permit: To perform professional activities in the Spanish borders, provided their daily return to the foreign borders where they normally reside. This is issued for a maximum period of 5 years, after that it may be renewed.

Permanent work permit: It enables the foreign worker to perform any professional activity where he has the qualification required. The type C or E work permits' holders may obtain this work permit once theirs had expired. It is mandatory to renew this work permit every 5 years.

Article by iAbogado Servicios Jurídicos SL (Madrid, Spain). Visit www.iAbogado.com for more original content like this. Reprint permission granted with this footer included.

CascadaDuSel, how about a follow-up? Did you get anywhere with your idea or did it prove to be impossible. I'm guessing the latter.

Saludos, MadridMan